Garbage piles up near BSNL Bhawan as GMC turns a blind eye

Guwahati, Nov 24: The failure of Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) to streamline the garbage collection and dumping process has made public life miserable in many parts of the city. One such affected area in the city is the locality around the BSNL Bhawan at Panbazar, where roadside dumping of garbage is a common sight.

Despite being one of the prime areas of the city, pedestrians are enduring a tough time crossing the area without covering their faces, due to the foul smell emitting from the garbage dumping area.

Talking to The Assam Tribune, a BSNL official claimed that every evening, some restaurant workers dump garbage in the area and the GMC employees clear the place only late at night. "But the smell remains 24 hours of the day," he said.

"Dumping of garbage in front of the BSNL Bhawan is a regular phenomenon. The foul smell affects a lot of people, including the employees of BSNL, SBI, students of Don Bosco School and other people. Particularly, residents of the BSNL quarter are facing a lot of problems. Some people throw the garbage hours after GMC workers collect the garbage. Although it is a posh area, it is extremely unhygienic and not possible for anyone to cross the area without covering their face," Ajay Yadav, Assistant General Manager, Department of Telecommunications told The Assam Tribune.

Yadav stated that the garbage collection process by the GMC staff continues for many hours at night, due to which residents of the BSNL quarters cannot even have a sound sleep.

"We have already complained to the GMC, but the area is yet to get any tangible results. The civic body needs to take stern steps to ensure no road- side garbage dumping in the area. The people, who are using the stretch of footpath as their shelter place, have also made the place unhygienic. So, we need urgent and strict action from the GMC to keep the place clean and hygienic," he said.

Another BSNL employee and resident of the staff quarter A Saikia informed that they have been enduring the problem for the last couple of years. "Earlier, there were some dustbins placed by the GMC. Now, all the dustbins were removed by the civic body and people tend to throw garbage by the roadside of the area," he alleged.

"As per my knowledge, some restaurants dump their garbage and even mud in the same place. The place remains unhygienic with garbage and filth from morning to night. As a result, residents of BSNL quarters are suffering a lot. The foul smell is unbearable. Every day, GMC workers clean the area, but the foul smell stays for the entire day. So, strict enforcement is what is needed to bar the people from dumping garbage in the area," Saikia added.

By

Manash Pratim Dutta